Choosing The Best Montessori Toys For Your Child at Any Age

With the rise in modern technology, the importance of alternative forms of play is more important than ever. Technology brings many benefits to play, but it’s also well-documented that too much screen time can cause more harm than good.

So getting this balance is imperative. And as a result, Montessori toys are more popular than ever, especially with the recent surge in homeschooling. But what is it, and how do you find the best Montessori toy for your child?

Here’s our guide to helping your kids grow and develop to become their best selves.

What Is the Montessori Educational Method?

Montessori is a child-centered approach to education that focuses on open-ended play developing numerous key skills, including motor development, language development, and social skills. The pioneering educational approach was developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori as a method of education to help children from deprived backgrounds regain control over their desire to learn as young children.

Instead of punishing their curiosity, Montessori’s method embraces their curiosity and desire to learn through play whilst engaging in the learning process with other children. Even in older children, it was later evident that embracing play through practical life skills and activities such as cooking or building were beneficial for their cognitive development, emotional development and giving them the life skills they needed to thrive in a society not made for them.

What are Montessori Toys?

Montessori toys for kids are a by-product of the aforementioned method of learning. They are a type of educational toy that is designed to help children learn through exploration and play. They are typically open-ended toys that allow children to use their imagination and creativity to learn.

A Montessori toy is special because they’re designed with simplicity and resemblance to real-world objects. They’re often made with natural materials like wood, cotton, or metal. Examples include wooden blocks, a simple puzzle or something larger like a balance beam.

One of the key features of a Montessori toy is that it’s meant for young children–they’re not too complex and work well within a Montessori styled room. Another distinguishing factor is that these toys need to be physically manipulated by a child; they don’t move or make sounds on their own. In doing so, these toys encourage the child to develop motor skills faster, preparing them for tasks they’ll encounter later in life.

What are the Benefits of Montessori-Friendly Toys?

Montessori toys offer a variety of benefits for children. These toys help them learn through exploration and experience as opposed to a more passive style of learning, such as watching TV. This allows children to understand the world around them in a more hands-on way.

Montessori toys provide sensory experiences that can help children learn about colors, shapes, and sizes. In addition, these toys can help with balance and hand-eye coordination. That’s because they ‘re usually made out of materials like wood, which helps build fine motor skills.

The most important benefit of choosing a Montessori toy is that they teach children to think critically and creatively. By encouraging children to explore their surroundings and create things, they gain an understanding of the world around them.

Finally, Montessori toys are versatile and, whilst aimed at younger children, can be used by children of all ages. This provides opportunities for older toddlers who thrive on Montessori methods to explore and learn new things as they play.

How to Choose the Best Montessori Toy For Your Child

Some tips for choosing the best Montessori toys for your child are to think about what your child is interested in, what your child is working on in school, and what developmental stage your child is in. You also want to make sure that the toys are safe and age-appropriate.

When it comes to Montessori toys, there are a lot of different options to choose from. But how do you know which ones are the best for your child? Here are some tips to help you out:

Materials

Wooden toys tend to be popular among Montessori toys. Wood is an excellent material to use for toys because it offers many benefits for children. It’s easy to carve into different shapes and textures, making it fun for kids to create and manipulate.

Another benefit of using wood is that it’ll last longer than plastic and won’t break easily. This makes it easier to keep up with the cost of buying new toys. Plus, they’ll last a lifetime so with the right care and attention they can be passed on from generation to generation.

As well as wooden toys, metal Montessori toys such as this lock and key toy set are another excellent option for a Montessori toy. They’re durable and can be painted or decorated to match your child’s room décor. However, they may be harder to clean so it’s worth bearing that in mind when choosing a Montesorri toy or activity.

Colors

Bright colored toys such as these multi-colored sorting bears are a must when it comes to choosing a Montessori toy, especially a baby or toddler toy. Bright colors will stimulate your child’s senses and help them focus on the task at hand.

You should avoid dark colors, however, as they can cause eye strain. If you have a light colored room, then bright colors will look great against the walls. Otherwise, stick to pastel shades, like pink, blue, yellow, or green.

Shapes

Whether it’s the toy itself or a toy focused around shape-play such as a shape sorter, Montesorri toys focus heavily on shapes. Shapes are one of the first concepts that babies pick up on. So if you have a little one who likes playing with blocks, then this could be a great choice for him or her.

A busy board Montessori toy is another good option for a toy that encourages learning about shapes. These toys encourage children to interact with each other and develop social skills.

Activities

If you’re looking for toys that will encourage your child to get active, then look for activities that require the child to move their body. Activities like balancing, hopping, jumping, and climbing are great ways to get your child moving.

Consider a balance board or balance bike that encourages their motor skills to develop faster, boosting their physical development through hands-on activities.

If your child has developed good hand-eye coordination, then consider toys such as pegboards, puzzles, and blocks that encourage this skill.

Safety

It’s important to consider safety when choosing a Montessori Toy. Toys should be designed to prevent choking hazards, sharp edges, and other dangers. Look for toys that have rounded corners and smooth surfaces. Also, check that the toys are suitable for your child’s size and weight.

Age Appropriate

Montessori toys also provide sensory experiences that can help children learn about colors, shapes, and sizes. In addition, these toys can help children to understand the world around them in a more hands-on way.

The Different Types of Montessori Toys

There are many types of Montessori toy. Some are classics that have been around for a long time, while others are more recent inventions. Here are some examples:

Manipulative Toys

One category of Montessori toy is the manipulative toy. These toys help children learn about geometry, physics, and math. They include shape sorters, blocks, and gears that can be manipulated to teach principles of science and mathematics.

Sensory Toys

Another type of Montessori toy is the sensorial toy. These toys help children develop their senses by providing interesting textures, colors, and sounds. Examples include stacking cups, textured balls, and musical instruments.

Books and Puzzles

In many ways, traditional items that encourage a hands-on learning experience such as books and puzzles make great Montessori toys as well. Books and puzzles encourage children to read and practice problem-solving.

Balance Toys

Balance beams, trampolines, and balance boards are all examples of balance toys. Balance boards are ideal for toddlers because they allow them to explore their environment in safety.

Balance bikes are also a great idea for outdoors. Children can ride them safely and improve their motor skills while learning about motion and stability.

Choosing Age-Appropriate Toys

As mentioned above, Montessori toys should be appropriate for your child’s age. There are plenty of Montessori books and puzzles available for babies and toddlers, but once your child starts school, they need something else.

Best Montessori Toys For Babies

Babies and toddlers love to play with soft toys, especially during valuable tummy time! Soft toys are perfect for this age group because they don’t pose any danger to your baby. And since they’re made of fabric, they’re easy to wash and dry.

Some other good options for babies include rattles, mobiles, and bouncy seats. Bouncy seats are especially helpful when your infant has trouble sleeping at night.

An object permanence box is also a great Montessori toy for babies and toddlers as they learn to develop the notion that something exists even when it’s out of sight!

Best Montessori Toys for Toddlers

Toddlers love playing with wooden building blocks. A wooden toddler toy made out of basic shapes is a great choice for developing fine motor skills as well as motor skills.

A wooden puzzle is also great Montessori toy for helping your toddler practice spatial awareness as well as improving motor skill development. What’s more, you’ll see their concentration skills develop as they master their problem-solving skills at the same time.

Check out this wooden crocodile puzzle that perfectly encapsulates all the elements we’ve discussed about choosing a Montessori toy – A wooden block-building animal 3D puzzle that also encourages children to learn the alphabet as they piece the puzzles together!

Get Your Montessori Toys Today!

Montessori never created toys specifically for children to play with at home; instead, she designed materials for use in the classroom setting. However, there are now a number of companies that make high-quality Montessori toys that can be used both at home and in school.

With supply chain issues causing products to sell out faster and restocking slower than ever before, it’s more important than ever to know what to look for when choosing a Montessori toy.

Check out a whole range of Montessori toys and more at Luna and Cash today!

Last Updated on December 19, 2022 by Neurodadversity